Ski sled



A. P. OWENS sKI'sLED Fileq oct. 6,' 1967 June 24, 1969 INVENTOR.

Ausf/N ,Q OWENS,

United States Patent O 3,451,689 SKI SLED Austin P. Owens, 233 Melrose Drive, North Syracuse, N.Y. 13212 Filed Oct. 6, 1967, Ser. No. 673,495 Int. CL B62b 13/00, 13/16 U.S. Cl. 280-21 4 'Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a ski sled.

It is an object of this invention to provide a ski sled which is lightweight and may be knocked down for convenient storage and transit.

A further object of this invention is to provide a readily maneuverable and safe ski sled by connecting the steering column thereof to the runner by means of a exible, spring hinge, which acts as a shock absorber, and allows turning movement of the steering column to be readily transmitted to the runner.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a ski sled of the character indicated with an easily connectible and removable seat.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a ski sled of the character indicated which has a sturdy, but inexpensive construction using a minimum number of components.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front view in elevation of the ski sled in assembled, or operative position;

FIGURE 2 is a side view in elevation of the ski sled shown in FIGURE 1, with an alternative position of the steering column shown in phantom lines;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the ski sled taken substantially along the plane indicated by line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the ski sled shown in FIGURE 2 in knocked down or flat condition, with the seat of the sled shown in phantom lines for purposes of revealing the position of the structure therebeneath;

FIGURE 5 is a side view in elevation of the ski sled in its at condition; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along the plane indicated by line 6 6 of FIGURE 2, and illustrating the manner of attaching the seat of the sled to the runner.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, the ski sled of the present invention is generally designated -by the numeral 10.

The ski sled 10 includes a steering column 12, adapted to be twisted by a horizontal bar or handle 14 to steer the sled. The handle 14 is connected to the top of column 12 by any suitable means for such purpose, as for example, by screw connectors, or may be formed integral therewith. The steering column 12 constitutes a flat plank of suitably shaped hardwood, wood, sheet metal, plastic, or equivalent substance.

The steering column 12 is connected to a ground contacting element or runner 16 by a exible strip of resilient spring steel 18. The steel strip 18 is connected to the front surface of the bottom end of the steering column 12 and the bottom surface of the front end of the runner 16 by means of rivets 20 or other suitable connectors.

The runner 16 is also formed from flat plank material similar to the material used to form steering column 12, and has a number of parallel grooves 22, 24 and 26 cut in its bottom surface, running substantially its full length. The grooves 22, 24 and 26. enable the runner material between the grooves to be embedded in the snow for increased traction.

Steel strip 18 connecting steering column 12 to runner 16 is flexed and bent into an arcuate form when the steering column is positioned in an upright position relative to the runner. Strip 18 thus acts as a hinge between steering column 12 and runner 16 and because of its resilient nature, will absorb any shocks before they are transmitted to the steering column. The flexible nature of this hinge also enables the steering column 12 to be twisted relative to the runner 16 for greater maneuverability of the sled.

Maintaining steering column 12 in :its upright position relative to runner 16 is a brace 28. Brace 28 is a flat planar board xedly connected to the runner 16 by a standard piano-type hinge 30, riveted to the runner and oen end of the brace. At its opposite end, brace 28- includes bifurcated hinge portion 32, adapted to receive a hinge pin 34 connected by a swivel 36 to an eyelet 38 threadedly connected to the side of the brace. The turcations of hinge portion 32 are adapted to meshingly receive therebetween a tubular hinge portion 40, whose base is riveted to the rear surface of steering column 12. Hinge pin 34 is then placed through alined hinge portions 32 and 40 to retain steering column 12 :in upright position relative to runer 16 and to fieX strip 18.

A seat 42 can be provided on ski sled 10. Seat 42 comprises a ilat plank of any suitable material provided with a wide saddle portion 44 at its rearmost end. At its forward end, seat 42 has a bifurcated hinge portion 46, whose furcations are adapted to straddle tubular hinge portion 48 on steering column 12. Hinge pin 50, connected by swivel 52 to an eyelet 54 threadedly connected to the steering column, is adapted to extend through bifurcated hinge portion 46 and hinge portion 48 to connect the seat 42 to steering column 12.

A piano-type hinge 56 connects the top of an upright support strut 58 to seat 42, beneath saddle portion 44. At its bottom end, strut 58 is provided with a pair of threaded fasteners 60 and 62, having ball-shaped heads `64 and 66, respectively. Heads 64 and 66 are received respecively within sockets 8 and 70 in the top surface of the rear of runner 16.

By merely removing hinge pins 34, 50, and fastener heads 64 and `66 from sockets 68 and 70, ski sled 10 can be knocked down into a at condition as shown in FIG- URES 4 and 5, for convenience in storage and transit. As shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, steel strip 18 will bias steering column 12 into the same plane as runner 16. Strut 58 is pivoted about hinge 56 beneath seat 42, and laid on top of steering column 12. Brace 28 is pivoted about hinge 30 and lies substantially at on top of runner 16. The collapsed sled can then be hung on a wall by means of handle 14.

To reassemble sled 10 to its operative position, the reverse, procedure is followed, and hinge pins 34, 50 and heads 64 and 66 are reinserted. Since hinge pins 50 and 34 are connected to steering column 12 and -brace 28 respectively, they are always available for effecting the desired connection.

Seat 42 and strut 58 may be entirely removed from the sled, if desired. With the seat 42 and strut 58 removed, steering column 12 and handle 14 may be moved to the phantom line position shown in FIGURE 2, and brace 28 connected to the steering column by having the furcations of hinge 32 mesh with hinge portion 48, rather than 40. Either pin 50 or 34 could then eect the connection of the brace to the steering column.

With steering column 12 at a more acute angle to the runner 16, as shown in phantom lines in FIGURE 2, the sled may Ibe used by a child or shorter person.

I claim:

1. A ski sled comprising a rigid upright steering column, a at elongated rigid runner spaced from said steering column, a ilexible and resilient strip of sheet material connected at its opposite ends to said steering column and runner respectively and joining them together, and a brace hingedly connected at its ends to said steering column and runner, one of said hinged connections being disconnectible.

2. A ski sled in accordance with claim 1 wherein said runner includes at least one longitudinally extending groove cut in the bottom surface.

3. A ski sled in accordance with claim 1 including a seat structure, said seat structure including a saddle portion hingedly connected at one of its ends to said steering column, said hinged connection being disconnectible, and an upright strut between said saddle portion and runner for supporting said saddle portion, said strut being disconnectible from said runner.

4. A ski sled in accordance with claim 1, a seat structure mounted upon said sled, said seat structure including a saddle portion hingedly connected at one of its ends to said steering column, said hinged connection being disconnectible, and an upright strut between said saddle portion and runner for supporting said saddle portion, said strut being disconnecti'ble from said runner, said runner including at least one longitudinally extending groove cut in its bottom surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,062,953 12/1936 Wargo 280-12 2,382,335 8/1945 Ruhme 280-12 3,123,373 3/1964 Antcliff 280-12 3,301,569 1/1967 Broschart 280-12 KENNETH BETTS, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT R. SONG, Assistant Examiner. 

